Student Testing Center

Some students require accommodations because of temporary or permanent physical, learning, and/or psychiatric disabilities. ACPHS fully complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and will make all reasonable accommodations necessary. It is important to note that while a student can request a particular accommodation, the College determines how to meet a particular need. Therefore, alternative accommodations may be provided other than those requested by the student. The ACPHS Accommodations Policy can be found in the ACPHS Student Handbook.

The student must submit the following documentation to the Director of Counseling and Wellness (DCW) within the first week of the semester or immediately upon diagnosis if assessed during the semester. Requests for accommodations on IPPEs or APPEs must be made 30 days before the start of the placement.

1. A student Letter of Request for Accommodation. In this letter (email), the student must briefly discuss their diagnosis, specify their requested accommodations and why, and indicate whether this accommodation is time-limited or permanent.
2. At least one of the following:
   • Documentation of Section 504 Plan or an IEP from high school
   • Medical verification of the diagnosis and accommodations requested from a licensed professional diagnosing the disability. If it is a psychiatric diagnosis, it must be in DSM-V format. Documentation must give a detailed history of the condition and explain how the specific diagnosis creates a functional impairment in the academic setting. It must also include the setting targeted (e.g., lecture exams, laboratories, experiential education), the exact nature of the accommodation, and whether the accommodation is time-limited or permanent.
3. All documentation must be on the clinician’s letterhead. The letterhead must include the clinician's name, title/credentials, address, and phone number. A sentence or two on a prescription pad or letterhead is not acceptable documentation. If you are not already working with a professional, the DCW can provide a listing of clinicians in the Capital Region in New York State.
4. Upon obtaining the required documentation, the DCW will decide on the accommodation:
   • If not approved, the DCW will notify the student in writing of this decision.
   • If approved, the DCW will write to the student and relevant faculty within seven days of the decision.
   • Students must contact faculty regarding approved accommodations no later than one week before every exam to invoke the accommodations.
   • Students are required to notify the Division of Experiential Education within 30 days of approval of accommodations in experiential settings.
   • Following the initial contact, the student and faculty must solidify the logistics of meeting the accommodation and determine how frequently communication must occur during the semester. This plan should be communicated to the DCW.
   • Should the student choose not to utilize accommodations on a particular occasion, they are asked to notify the faculty/instructor by email before the assessment.

All documentation or questions should be submitted to:

Peter J. Cornish, PhD, Director of Counseling and Wellness
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
106 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
peter.cornish@ndkllx.com
Phone: 518-694-7262